Method of and apparatus for marbling paper



June 17, 1924.

, F. REED METHOD 0F AND APPARATUS FOR MARBLING PAPER original Filed June 21. 19,18 'sgsheets-seet 1 Heder/'c Paysan eed @HdM/12,135

MM, WM Mm L49&200

June 17, 1924.

-F. P. REED* METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MABLING PAPER Original Filed June 2l, 1918 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 17, 1924.

1,498,200 F. BREED METHOD oF AND APPARATUS FOR MARBLING P APER Original Filed June 2l. 1918 '5 Sheets-Sheet 3 nvenroz Patented nutren STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

FREDERIC PAYSON REED, F EAST ORANGE, NEW JEBVSEY, ABSIGNOB T0 C.

ORCUTT.

METHOD or Alm- Arrnnnros Eon MARBLING PAPER.

Application filed .une 21, 1918, Serial No. 241,102. Renewed February 1, 1921. Serial No. 441,675.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, FREDERIC PAYsoN REED, a citizen of the United .States,'resid ing at 59 Rutled e Avenue, East Orange,

in the county of l(llssex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of and Apparatus for Marbling Paper; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,

and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus whereby paper may be given a colored or tinted surface to render it suitable for use as a covering for candy boxes, a linin for the covers of books of record, a covering for liles, etc. Such papers are now on the market and extensively used, but their method of production istedious and involves a heavy waste of paper, and the machines for producing them are elaborate in design and expensive to construct and operate.

lt is the object of the present invention to mechanically produce, in a continuous manner, an agate, marbled or mottled finish either on the White background of the paper,

or superimposed on a colored or tinted background, and to` blend together the colors in a manner to obtain extremely attractive and artistic effects, such inishbeing com-- parable in appearance to that heretofore produced by hand in Belgium and Widely utilized in this country for the purposes stated.

A. further object of the invention is to effect quick setting of the colors after blending, and-quick drying of the sheet,'thereby eliminating the danger of the colors running, as well as the need for supporting the paper for a relatively long time in festoons, in accordance with the usual practice.

To attainthe foregoing objects and advantages, and others which will hereinafter appear or are inherent in the method and apparatus of my invention, I have devised an apparatus or machine so constructed that a continuous web of paper can be unwound from a roll and passed over a coating means which applies a liquid to one face thereof, the liquid being either a paint or color, or merely water, according to conditions. In either case, however, a plurality of colors are separately applied to the previously coated face of the web, and the several colors are spread or blended together by air sprays which are directed against the web from or by a moving sprayer; but before the application of the latter colors takes place, the web, on passing beyond the coating device, is subjectedto the action ofa distributor or scrubber, which serves to spread the liquid, whether water or color, evenly over the Web and to work it thereinto, so that a thoroughly moistened surface is provided on which the aforesaid colors will spread slightly of their own accord, with the result that the blending operation is facilitated. The added 'colors are preferably applied in the form of flecks or speckles by means of rotating brushes, which dust off small'particles of color from the surfaces of rolls or equivalent carriers mounted in tanks containing the colors. The web thus treated is thereafter passed over an arched sheet of metal under whichgas is burned to set the colors and eHect preliminary drying of the web, and is finally subjected to such fanning with air as will dry it to the necessary degree, and wound up into a finished roll suitable for marketing.

The present application wherein, the improved method and apparatus of my invention are disclosed, is .led as a continuation in part of my prior application, Serial No. 155,757, filed March 19, 1917, and is to be so considered.

A machine constructed in accordance with the foregoing is illustrated somewhat diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figs. 1 and 2, placed end to end, constitute a sectional elevation of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of F' 1 p lgigs. 4 and 5 are' transversesections taken,

respectively, on lines 4-4 and `5-5 of Fig. 6 is a detail of the air spraying device; and

Figs. 7 and 8 are transverse sections taken, respectively, on lines 7--7 and 8-8, Fig. 2.f

The machine illustrated in the drawings comprises a framework, at the front end of which is rotatabl mounted the roll 1 of paper to be coate which may be ordinary white aper of the character usually used for ma g this class of goods. As the sheet or web of` paper unwinds from roll 1, it passes through a train of tension rolls 2, then around a larger tension roll or drum 3, and then over a guide roll 4 to the coating means. y

The coating means preferably comprises a i pair of felt covered rolls 5 and 6 which, in

the present instances, respectively rest upon and are frictionally driven by rolls 7 and 8 each of which dips into a body of liquid held in a tank 9, though such arrangement is not essential, since the rolls 5 and 6 may themselves dip into the liquid in the tank. The rolls 7 and 8, (or the rolls 5 and 6, if used alone), are power-driven in suitable manner (not shown), and dpreferably rotate in opposite directions; an

in the arrangement illustrated they drive rolls 5 and 6 in the directions indicated respectively by their arrows, thereby keeping the web of paper between said rolls 5 and 6 under tension and applying to its surface an adequate quantity of the liquid color. Thereafter, the paper passes around a rotating drum 10, where the excess liquid color is removed and that remaining on the paper is more uniformly distributed and worked in.

The means for removing the excess liquid may consist of a squeegee 11 having its front face covered with a-removable sheet 12 of prises a reciprocating head 17 having felt, which bears yieldingly against the paper web and scrapes ofi' into a pan 13 any excess liquid. The squeegee is mounted on ivots 14 in the sides of the frame, and may e adjusted toward and from the drum 10 by means of threaded rods 15 which engage in flexible 1in ers 16 carried by the squeegee and, indicate somewhat diagrammatioally, said fingers providing a yielding engagement between the squeegee and the moving paper.'

he means whereby the liquid color may be more uniformly distributed over and worked in the paper before drying, comits curved rear face covered with a sheet of feltl 18. lThis head carries a bearing Vbracket 19 (Fig. 4) by which it is slidably mounted on a horizontal transverse rod 20, the latter being supported at its ends in bearing boxes. 21 which are mounted on the tops ofthe frame sides, said boxes being capable of a slight adjustment which may be effected by .may be used for this purpose.

sequent scrubbing movement of the felt face back and forth over the moving paper sheet,

there is provided a pivotally connected link 23 (Fig. 4). actuated by a crank 24 on a shaft 25, which is continuously driven from a second shaft `26 vby belting27, or in some other suitable manner, the latter shaft being driven from a source of power not shown.

After passing the squeegee and the distributing means, the paper moves rearwardly toward the drying mechanism; but before reaching the first burner, it asses under one or more means for spattermg'it -with color.k Each of the spattering means comprises a tank containing a liquid color of suitable composition of which aniline ma be the base, such tank havingva smoot-h cyllndrical roller mounted to rotate in it and dipping into the liquid. Where two v tanks are employed, as in the construction illustrated, the first tank 28 may contain a single color only, and a long continuous roller 29 may'be used; whereas thesecond tank 30 may be divided into a number of separate compartments, each containing a different color, and the roller 31 may be made up of a number of separate sections, one for each compartment. Above and slightly in front of each roller is a shaft 32 mounted to rot-ate counter to the roller, as indicated by the arrows, and carrying brushes 33 or the like, as for instance tufts of hog bristles, which contact with the smooth to face of the roller and fiick 'off little specEs of the liquid color, delivering them diagonally downward, as indicated by the arrow A, upon the moist top face of the traveling sheet. If it is desired that the background of the finished paper shall be white, then water is used as the li uid in tank 9; but if a colored backgroun is desired, a liquid color is substituted therefor, as it is essential to proper production ofthe agate or marbled effect that the yspecks of color spattered on the paper shall have a chance to spread out or run, and a moist sheet facilitates spreading. Aniline colors The first spattering device, as above described, will ordinarily be sufficient when but a single color is to be superimposed on a uniform background, either white or colored, but when more than one `colo-r is to be sup lied in specks or spltches, then the secon device may be used to advantage, vor `both of brackets 37 fixed to the frame sides.

vpipes are each provided with a series of deof color act to expand or s read them out until they touch one anot er; and since the specks are applied more or less regu-V larly on the sheet and comparatively close together, the tendency of the jets will be to form waves or slnuous lines of color which merge into one another and combine to produce di'erent color effects which may be varied greatly by varying the relative arrangement of the brushes, especially when two spattering devices and two spraying devices are employed. The same results may also be furthered by providing a duplex sprayer, the two members of which are caused to move in opposite directions across the sheet, this construction being represented.-

According to the illustrated arrangement, which may be regarded for all present purposes as preferred, the sprayer comprises a pair of parallel tubular members or pipes 35 which are disposed above and transversel of the sheet and are supported and guide at their opposite ends between pair-s of rollers 36 (Fig. 5) mounted in vertical pending nipples 38 through which the air passes and they are joined at one end to the upper ends of the two branches of a verticallydisposed substantially Y-shaped supply pipe 39 which, at its lower end or foot, is connected to a source of air under pressure. Each branch of the Y-shaped or forked portion of said pipe is equipped'with a controlling valve 40 (Fig. 8), as is, also, the stem of the Y; and said branches are constructed, in part, of rubber or other flexible sections 41 which bend backward and forward and, hence, enable the required reciprocatory movements of `the sprayer pipes 35. The movements in ques- ,tion are Veffected by means of connecting rods 42 (Figs. 3 and 5), which are intercalated between a pair of cranks 43, provided in shaft 26, and the adjacent ends of said pipes.

The moving sheet is supported in arched form by a curved plate 44 of metal, galvanized iron for example preferably faced l on the top with a layer of woven wire screen 45. By supporting the sheet in arched form, as it passes from drum 10 at the front of the machine to a similar drum 46 at the rear of. the machine, it has no These chance to pucker or wrinkle, and considerable tensionI may be applied to it without disadvantageous results, this pullin of the' moist sheet over the hot Screen resu ting in the latter exerting an ironing action on the sheet which is effective in driving out the moisture.

While traveling between drums l0 and 46, the sheet is subjected to heatbf ver considerable intensity, this being supplied by a pluralit transverse y of the machine and each having a large number of small jets playing directly on the under-surface of the arched metal shield 44. It is a function of the `superimposed woven wire screen to disconveniently, and thereby quickly set the colors, and I dothis without injury to the paper. or to the coloring material. When making an agate or marbled paper, the high speed of dryingv is of importance, because it checks what otherwise might bel a too extensive spread of the particles of color spattered on by the rotating brushes.

Owing to the fact that no point on the paper surface is constantlyk in Contact with the hot metal, the temperature of the screen can be high, and its ironing effect more pronounced than if a flat metal surface were used. Also, the moisture has a chance to escape from the under-surface of the sheet through the meshes of the screen, while at the same time being liberated from the n per or more exposed face of the sheet. hib claim is herein made for the heater or drier per se, as the same forms the subject matter of my divisional application, Serial No. 268,202, filed Decemberr24, 1918. j

In order that there may be no overheating of the paper above the burners, when for any reason the machine must be stopped, I provide the machine with means for lifting the sheet out of contact with the wire net'- ting of-the supporting arch. This lifting means comprises a )lurality of transverse rods 48 underlying t e sheet, and each supported at its ends by arms 49 connected together by a pair of horizontal bars 50, one -3 of gas burners 47 extendingA gether a't 53and' connected to a vertical rod verserod 56 is arranged between said rolls 5 and 6 iny position to underlie the paper, and is suspended at its ends from pivoted links 57 (only one of which appears) which are carried by a pair of levers 58 at one end thereof. The levers 58 areJ fulcrumed intermediate their ends on the frame sides, and

one of them (or each, if preferred) is adapted to be engaged by a laterally-projecting pin 59 carried by the lower end of the adjacent arm 49, which is extended downward for that purpose (Fig. 1 The other end of each lever 58 is engage by a stop 60, that serves to normally hold the lever in lowered position.

The drum 46 may be heated by a plurality of gas burners 61 located within its interior and fed with gas through a hollow shaft 62 on which the drum is rotatably mounted; and after leaving said drum .46, the sheet passes over a plurality of fans A63, each of which need be nothing more than a flat plate of metal extending longitudinally across the machine and mounted to rotate on a horizontal axis, as indicated. The fans are provided with driving pulleys 64, which may be connected and suitably driven by means of a belt 65 and which is itself driven from a source of power not shown.

This fanning cools the sheet, helps to drive away the excess moisture and equalizes and tcmpers the sheet, giving the remaining moisture a chance to become equalized between the upper and lower faces of the sheet and putting the sheet substantially in condition for rewinding` into a roll.

' In order that the sheet may be suitably supported while passing above the fans, sets of tapes 66 and 67 are provided, between which the sheet travels. The upper tapes 66 are endless, and are caused to move with the same velocity as the sheet, their lower stretches passing beneath a series of drums 68 which assist in the supporting operation, while their upper stretches are engaged with recessed guide rollers 69 (Fig. 8) which keep the tapes in proper spaced relation on the drums. The lower tapes 67 are here shown as stationary, and as supported at their opposite ends from the frame, though they ikewise may be movable similarly to the tapes 66. The drums and tapes thus form two'inverted arches, between which the trav- While the preferred embodiment of the` invention has been described hereinabove and illustrated in the drawings as aforesaid, no limitation to, the precise structure comprised in such disclosure is contemplated, excepting in so far as may necessarily be imposed by the language of the appended claims, since the invention is thoroughly susceptible of considerable modification and change within the scope of said claims, and since parts of the invention as disclosed may be employed without others, and in other and different environments.

I claim as m invention: c

1. In a mac ine for coating paper, the combination of means for moistening a continuous sheet of paper; means for spattering l the moistened sheet with specks of liquid color; and means for mechanically spreading the specks over the moistened sheet.

2. In a machine for coating paper, the combination of means vfor applying a liquid color to one side of a continuous sheet of paper to form a colored background thereon; means for spattering said background, while moist, with speeks of a different liquid color; and means for blending the specks with the moist background color.

3. In a machine for coating paper, the combination of means for moistening a con-y tinuous sheet of paper; means for spattering the moistened sheet with specks of a plurality of different liquid colors; and means for mechanically blending the specks together over the moistened sheet.

4. In a machine for coating paper, the combination of means for moistening a continuous sheet of paper; means for spattering the moistened sheet with specks of liquid color; and a reciprocating device movable across the sheet to spread the specks over the moistened face thereof.

5. In a machine for coating paper, the combination of means for moistening a continuous sheet of paper; means for spattering the moistened sheet with specks of liquid color; and means for directing jets of air against the moistened face of the sheet -to spread the specks thereover.

6. In a machine for coating paper, the combination of means for moistening a continuous sheet of paper; means for spatterin the moistened sheet with specks ofliquid over which the sheet of paper travels, gas burners under said shield to heat the paper and means for fanning the paper to dry the same after it has passed beyond said gas burners.

34. In a machine for giving an agate effect to a continuous sheet of paper, the combination of means for moistening the sheet, means for spattering the moistened sheet with specks of color, gas burners for heating the sheet and means for delivering air thereto to dry the sheet.

35. In a machine for coating paper, the combination, with coating means for applying a liquid to a continuous paper sheet, of a distributor for equalizing the liquid on said sheet, means for spatterin ecks of liquid color on'the coated face o the sheet, and means for heating the sheet to set the i colored iecks.

36. In a machine for coating paper, the combination, with coating means for applying a liquid to a continuous paper sheet, of a distributor for equalizing the liquidon said sheet, a support over which the sheet travels on passing beyond said distributor, means for spattering iecks of liquid color 4von the coated face of the sheet While so supthe liquid on said sheet, means for spattering flecks of liquid color on the sheet While still moist, and means for heating the sheet to set the colored necks.

38. vIn a coating machine, the combination With means for moistening one face of a continuous paper sheet, of a distributor for cqualizing the liquid on said face, means for applying liquid color in streaks on the moistened face of the sheet to spread thereover, and means for heating the sheet to set the colored streaks and prevent them from spreading too extensively.

39. In a coating machine, the combination with means for moistening one face of a continuous paper sheet, of a row of devices disposed transversely of the sheet for applying liquid color on said moistened face to spread thereover, and means for heating the sheet to .set the color and prevent too extensive spreading thereof.

40. In a coating machine, the combination with means for moistening one face of ay continuous paper sheet, of means for applying liquid color on said moistened face.

' to Spread thereover, means for subjecting the sheet to a heating-action 'of high intensity to set the color and prevent too eX- tensive spreading thereof, and means for same after it has been maintaining the sheet out of direct contact with said heating means during the heating ste f 4131. A method of .coating paper, which consists in moistening one face ot' the paper, spattering lecks of color directly onto the said face while it is yet moist, and in drying the paper quickly to limit the spreading of the lecks.

42. In a machine for coating paper, means for moving the paper, means for moistening a face of the paper, means for spattering ecks of color directly onto the said face while it is still moist so that the flecks will spread, and means for quickly drying the paper after it has been spattered'to limit the spreading of the iiecks.

43. In'a machine for coating paper, the combination of coating means for applying a liquid color to a continuous paper sheet, a distributor for eqnalizing the liquid on said sheet, a supporting arch for the sheet, means for heating said sheet While supported on said arch, and means for tanning the heated sheet to dry the same, substantially as described.

44. In a machine for coating a continuous strip of paper with color, the combination of means for applying a liquid color to one side of the sheet, means for distributing said liquid on said sheet, a pair of drums, an arched metal yshield between said drums over which the sheet of paper travels, gas burners under said shield to heat the paper, and means for tanning the paper to dry the passed beyond said gas burners.

45. In a machine for giving an agate effect to a continuous sheet of paper, the combination of means for moistening the sheet, means for spattering the moistened sheet with specksof color, gasburners for heating the sheet and means for delivering air thereto to dry the sheet.

46. In a machine for coating paper, the combination, with coating means for applying a liquid to a continuous paper sheet, of a distributor for equalizing the liquid on said sheet, means for spattering lecks of liquid color on the coated face of the sheet, and means for heating the sheet to set the colored flecks.

47. In a machine for coating paper, the combination, with coating means for applying a liquid to a continuous paper sheet, of a distributor for equalizing the liquid on said sheet, a support yover which the sheet travels on passing beyond said distributor, means Jfor spattering flecks of liquid color on the coated face of the sheet While so supported, and means for heating said support to set the colored flecks on said sheet;

48. In a machine for coatin paper, the combination of coating means or applying a liquid to a continuous paper sheet, a reci rocatory distributor movable transverse y across the sheet during its travel to equalize the liquid on said sheet, means for spattersti l moist, and mea-ns for heatin to set the colored flecks.

flecks of liquid c01011 on the sheet While g the sheet 49. In a paper coloring machine means for. feeding a strip of paper, means for moistening the same, means for distributing 10 the. moisture thereover, and means for spattering color upon the moistened surface.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FREDERIC PAYSON REED. 

